Until recently, Hilton had a few altered acclaim cards options. Some were issued by Citibank, while some were issued by American Express. Last June, Hilton appear that it was bottomward Citi as a agenda provider and application Amex exclusively. Citi Hilton cardholders were transitioned to Amex accounts in January, and the absolute Amex cards are in the action of actuality transitioned to the new products.

Under the new program, Amex and Hilton action two claimed acclaim cards — the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card, and the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. There are some similarities to the old cards (which were alleged the Hilton Honors Amex and the Hilton Honors Surpass cards), but additionally a few enhancements and improvements.

Read on to see the differences amid the two new Hilton acclaim cards, and to see which is best for you.

Keep in apperception that we’re absorption on the rewards and allowances that accomplish these two cards abundant options, not things like absorption ante and backward fees, which can far outweigh the bulk of any rewards.

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When you’re alive to acquire credit-card rewards, it’s important to convenance banking discipline, like advantageous your balances off in abounding anniversary month, authoritative payments on time, and not spending added than you can allow to pay back. Basically, amusement your acclaim agenda like a debit card.

First up is the Hilton Honors Ascend card. With a $95 anniversary fee, this is the agenda that best bodies will acquisition bulk in.

The agenda comes with a huge new acceptable action of up to 100,000 Hilton credibility — 75,000 afterwards you absorb $2,000 during the aboriginal three months of agenda membership, and accession 25,000 credibility afterwards you absorb an added $1,000 aural the aboriginal six months.

The Ascend offers a acceptable 12x credibility on all Hilton purchases, including stays, as able-bodied as 6x credibility at grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations aural the US, and 3x credibility on aggregate else. Although anniversary Hilton point isn’t as admired as one point from accession currency, like Chase Ultimate Rewards, the card’s aerial earning bulk makes up for it. Travel website The Credibility Guy lists a abstract appraisal of 0.6¢ per Hilton point, so that translates to a 7.2% acknowledgment on Hilton purchases, a 3.6% acknowledgment on the added benefit categories, and 1.8% on aggregate else.

When you accept the Ascend card, you’ll automatically get Hilton Honors Gold aristocratic status, and if you absorb $40,000 on the agenda aural a agenda year, you’ll be answer to Diamond. Hilton Gold comes with a ton of allowances during Hilton stays, including backward check-out, chargeless bottled baptize in your room, a chargeless fifth night on accolade stays, chargeless allowance upgrades at check-in, and, best valuable, adulatory breakfast. Diamond has a few added perks, primarily bigger allowance upgrades.

The Ascend has a few added allowances too, including a adulatory weekend accolade night afterwards you absorb $15,000 on the agenda in a agenda year (in accession to all the credibility you’ll accept earned), and 10 chargeless day passes to Antecedence Pass airport lounges.

The added card, the Hilton Honors Aspire, is a bit different. Compared to the accepted Ascend card, the Aspire is abundant added of a “premium” card, and has an anniversary fee that reflects that: $450.

However, you can get a amazing bulk of bulk from the card, added than abundant to outweigh the fee.

The aboriginal year’s fee is absolutely wiped out by the acceptable benefit of 100,000 Hilton credibility back you absorb $4,000 in the aboriginal three months. Based on The Credibility Guy’s valuation, that’s account at atomic $600.

Aside from the bonus, the Hilton Honors Aspire offers a $250 airline fee acclaim per agenda year, added a $250 Hilton resort account acclaim anniversary cardmember year. The airline fee acclaim applies to things like arrested bag fees, on-board aliment or drinks, lounge day passes, in some cases, change fees or advancement fees, and more. While it doesn’t administer to airfare, it can sometimes be activated to allowance cards for an airline, which can again be acclimated for tickets. The resort acclaim applies to annihilation from allowance ante and taxes to accidental expenses..

As if that accumulated $500 of credits isn’t enough, the Aspire additionally offers a $100 Hilton on-property acclaim any time you book a two-night (or longer) break at a Hilton acreage through a specific website for cardholders. This can awning things like on-property restaurants, spa services, allowance service, or activities. It additionally gives you a adulatory weekend accolade night anniversary year, and you can acquire a added weekend accolade night if you absorb $60,000 on the agenda in a agenda year.

The Aspire offers added earning on your spending, with 14x credibility per dollar spent on Hilton properties. Based on that aforementioned 0.6¢ valuation, that’s an 8.4% return. It additionally gives you 7x credibility on airfare appointed anon with an airline, car rentals appointed anon with the rental agency, and US restaurants, and 3x credibility on aggregate else.